The days appeared outwardly leisurely, with the outside media creating a tremendous clamor, yet the South China Sea remained remarkably tranquil, with even the usual presence of Yue Nan and various merchant vessels significantly diminished. Oddly, however, fishing boats from the Great Dragon Nation had become extraordinarily numerous.

From the moment the Anti-Red Dragon Alliance, spearheaded by Country M, was formed, they noisily amassed forces around the periphery of the South China Sea. Over the past ten-plus days, their troop numbers swelled, causing many to fret on Red Dragon’s behalf. Yet, I remained unconcerned, even hoping their troop count wasn't insufficient to waste my Second and Third Fleets.

According to reports from Fleet One Commander Wu Gang, the young woman Shen Langhua was no simple figure. With her assistance and lobbying, the majority of fishermen across Xisha, Zhongsha, and Nansha had organized themselves, fervently requesting Red Dragon escort services for their fishing operations.

With the vigorous support of the fishermen, Red Dragon’s foundation in the South China Sea grew increasingly solid. Any vessel bearing the Red Dragon insignia could dock freely at any port or island populated by Great Dragon Nation fishermen, where they would receive warm welcomes and hospitality from the populace.

I had already bid farewell to Shen Langhua through Wu Gang. In truth, Shen Langhua understood that our mission was complete, and lingering to help her fish served little purpose anymore. Although we never collected the half-month’s wages for fishing, that period remains an unforgettable experience for me.

Beyond memories, my complexion had altered, lending me a more mature appearance, finally aligning somewhat closer to my actual age. No one would call me a pretty boy this time, I presumed.

The battle in the South Sea was unfolding step-by-step according to the prearranged plan. Business affairs for the various companies were being managed smoothly by my wives, leaving my sole obligation as attending school once more. That afternoon, as I pushed open my dorm room door to retrieve textbooks for class, two figures abruptly scrambled up from a bed, startling me immensely. It turned out to be Xu Hu and our class monitor, Xia Yu!

“Class Monitor! Why are you here?” I exclaimed in surprise, the key being their posture—crouched over the bed—suggesting something intimate. Could there be an ambiguous relationship brewing? I’d heard that Xia Yu had been actively looking for me recently; turns out she was using the guise of finding me to hook a rich boy!

“I, I, I came to ask you to join the basketball team,” Xia Yu stammered, her face flushed crimson.

I chuckled, “I knew about that half a month ago. Why hasn’t the basketball team recruited enough people yet? Why don’t we have Xu Hu substitute for me?”

Having his ‘good time’ interrupted, Xu Hu looked immensely awkward. “How can that work? I’m in the Physics Department, and you’re in Finance; we have no connection.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “With our Class Monitor here, any problem can be solved.”

Xia Yu straightened her disheveled hair as she descended from the bed where Xu Hu had been. She was, in fact, a lovely girl, though the gap between her and the others was still considerable. Furthermore, we hadn't interacted much before, so witnessing her and Xu Hu’s ‘private moment’ didn't provoke much reaction from me.

“Zhao Qian, I truly came to ask you to join our class basketball team. It’s just that you appear and disappear like a ghost; I’ve looked for you for half a month without seeing you in a single class. I finally caught you this time; you really must agree, considering how hard I’ve searched.”

I pulled a long face. “Class Monitor, to be frank, basketball knows me, but I don’t know basketball. I’ve carried guns, held pens, traveled to the mountains and down to the villages, but I have absolutely no history playing ball. Please find another expert. I won't disturb you two’s peace; I’m off to class.”

“Don’t go, don’t go,” Xu Hu pulled me back. “Xia Yu is being sincere. Besides, asking you to join your class’s basketball team isn't entirely about playing; it's mainly to leverage your reputation to boost the team's visibility. You don't know how much your public profile has risen again lately. With your addition, even the girls on the cheer squad will have more spirit when shouting.”

I said, “You two really are singing in perfect harmony. Let’s be clear: being a nominal member is fine, but if you ask me to actually participate in a match, I won’t do it even if you kill me. As you can see, I’m never at school; I can neither attend training nor reliably return for games. You two handle it now that you’ve sorted yourselves out.”

Xia Yu snapped, “Who’s singing in harmony? Don’t spread nonsense. Xu Hu and I have a normal student relationship. Since you’ve agreed, I’ll arrange everything. I’m leaving now; you two go to class yourselves.”

Xia Yu left as quickly as she promised. Watching her exit the dorm, I said to Xu Hu, “You son of a gun, you finally hooked an MM using my fame. Don't complain next time that I didn’t give you tips.”

Xu Hu blushed. “She was pestering me every other day to find you, and after searching and searching...”

“Searching and searching, you didn't find me, but you got our Class Monitor onto the bed. Truly, a student surpassing the master. I really admire myself, haha.” Laughing, I pulled out my textbooks and ran out of the dorm.

Xu Hu was still shouting from behind, “Master, you can’t just abandon me like this! I still have so many questions for you. I want to take your chick-charming spirit to the extreme! I swear I will hook up with a top-tier girl like your girlfriend!”

“Xu Hu! What did you say!” Xia Yu suddenly appeared from nowhere, leaping in front of Xu Hu. Her face was ferocious, terrifying Xu Hu so much that he tumbled to the floor right at the dorm threshold.

“Master, what should I do when this situation arises?” Xu Hu cried out to me in a ‘dying struggle.’

“What else can you do? Go for it!” I smiled and headed downstairs for class, hoping Xia Yu possessed the same forgiving heart as the other women; otherwise, Xu Hu was certainly done for this time.

Because Xu Hu and Xia Yu had disrupted things, I arrived at the classroom over ten minutes early. I found listening to other students chat to be a form of enjoyment. Having missed classes for nearly half a month, I realized the school had genuinely undergone some changes.

The biggest change involved the Nine Golden Flowers, who outshone all the other beauties. Ouyang Qian, Su Xue, Xu Chen, and Zhou Ni—four flowers previously without any discernible background—suddenly started driving private cars. While they weren't luxury models, compared to their previously mundane lives, this change was highly noticeable. Some speculated they were being kept by some young master, but many conducted deep investigations without finding a shred of evidence, causing the rumors to dissolve on their own.

Moreover, Xu Chen, always known for her silence, had soberly taken charge as the owner of the Starlight Studio. More and more students joined, and her business volume increased exponentially; many students were earning over ten thousand yuan a month from her.

Ouyang Qian had also become an object of widespread admiration. Besides her alluring appearance, the primary reason was her ability to determine the fate of many graduating students. Graduates introduced by her to the People’s Shopping Group received notably high compensation; rumor had it she was the younger sister of the beautiful CEO of the People’s Shopping Group.

Zhou Ni and Su Xue didn't have anything particularly attention-grabbing, but pretty girls driving nice private cars was inherently a huge attraction. Many boys were going crazy over them. As for the incident where Zhou Ni’s bottom was groped, since the person involved hadn't appeared in a long time, people were slowly forgetting about it.

The Nine Golden Flowers were scorching hot, but because the Dragon Ascent University Golden Flower Rankings of the last two terms had set the bar too high, most boys felt the flowers were unattainable. Thus, the previously revered